Come to the Table: Bringing Healthcare and Nutrition Together

Oct 27, 2022

Weeks in the past, companions gathered on the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health to forge a future with out starvation, diet-related ailments, and well being disparities. Building on the momentum, USDA just lately hosted Come to the Table: USDA’s National Nutrition Security and Healthcare Summit. More than 200 healthcare, federal, and group leaders got here collectively to advance the convention targets of making certain all Americans have the sources essential to eat nutritious meals that assist good well being.

This advanced problem intersects with many different points that our nation faces. Systemic racism, lack of reasonably priced housing, and local weather change all influence our combat to finish meals insecurity. But regardless of the daunting measurement of this problem, it’s one which we can’t afford to disregard. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack mentioned in his opening remarks, “Hunger and diet-related ailments have vital impacts,” particularly on underserved communities, however each are “nearly fully preventable.”

USDA shouldn’t be on this battle alone. The White House Conference highlighted the improvements of many organizations working towards the purpose of accelerating entry to wholesome meals for all.

We heard a lot about a few of this nice work at USDA’s occasion. For instance, well being care organizations on the summit reported that they proceed to conduct meals insecurity screenings for his or her sufferers and supply referrals to applications like SNAP and WIC. Children’s National Hospital shared plans to ascertain a diabetes meals pharmacy and finally increase this system to different departments, and Cleveland Clinic operates a SNAP-authorized farmers market onsite to serve employees, sufferers’ households, and the area people.

Working collectively, we are able to maximize current initiatives and create even stronger, wider-reaching options that can be sustainable over time.

Rep. Jim McGovern challenged attendees to behave now, emphasizing, “We needn’t reinvent the wheel; we have to put options into motion.” At USDA, we’re dedicated to putting solutions into action (PDF, 10.0 MB), however we all know that we are able to’t do it with out partnerships from the organizations working carefully with the American individuals. It goes to take a permanent spirit of collaboration to unravel one of the crucial urgent problems with our instances. As Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Cindy Long mentioned, “We know that we’re just one piece of an even bigger image.”

Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Stacy Dean shared that Come to the Table could be the primary of many summits, stating, “We’re seeking to replicate this all throughout the nation.” As we do, USDA will work with our companions to “invite people to the desk that haven’t traditionally been there,” as Chief Operating Officer of Acenda Integrated Health Melissa Fox urged fellow attendees. Because, within the closing phrases of Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, “It’s as much as us… to provide everybody an opportunity.”